A shared channel that transmits data one bit after the other over a single wire or fiber; for example, Ethernet uses serial bus architecture. The I/O bus from the CPU to the peripherals is a parallel bus.
Small Computer System Interface; SCSI is a hardware interface that allows for the connection of up to 15 peripheral devices to a single PCI board called a "SCSI host adapter" that plugs into the motherboard.
Compact Disc Read Only Memory; A compact disc format used to store programs and data files; Compact Disc-ReWritable; the only rewritable CD technology.
The main workspace in a graphical user interface such as Windows or Macintosh Systems. Users open and work with files and programs on the desktop, and can store files and shortcuts there as well. The user can also customize the look of the desktop with images or wallpaper and custom icons.
(EXtensible Markup Language) An open standard for describing data from the W3C. It is used for defining data elements on a Web page and business-to-business documents.
(Internet Service Provider) An organization that provides access to the Internet. Connection to the user is provided via dial-up, ISDN, cable, DSL and T1/T3 lines.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange; Pronounced "ask-ee," it is the built-in binary code for representing characters in all computers except IBM mainframes, which use the EBCDIC coding system.
A typeface style without serifs, which are the short horizontal lines added at the tops and bottoms of the vertical member of the letter. Helvetica is a common sans-serif font.
An invisible band of radiation at the lower end of the visible light spectrum. Widely used in most audio and video remote controls, infrared transmission is also used for wireless connections between computer devices (see IrDA) and a variety of detectors.
(Integrated Development Environment) A set of programs run from a single user interface. For example, programming languages often include a text editor, compiler and debugger, which are all activated and function from a common menu.
(Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks.
(Concurrent Versions System) A version control system for Unix that was initially developed as a series of shell scripts in the mid-1980s. CVS maintains the changes between one source code version and another and stores all the changes in one file. It supports group collaboration by merging the files from each programmer.
A popular file sharing service developed by Bram Cohen that prevents people from downloading constantly unless they are willing to share in the overall transmission load on the network.
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) A communications protocol developed under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to internetwork dissimilar systems.
An architecture in which the user's PC (the client) is the requesting machine and the server is the supplying machine, both of which are connected via a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN).
The part of a network that handles the major traffic. It employs the highest-speed transmission paths in the network and may also run the longest distances.
A family of IEEE standards for wireless LANs that were designed to extend 802.3 (wired Ethernet) into the wireless domain. Refers to 802.11g technology
(Internet Service Provider) An organization that provides access to the Internet. Connection to the user is provided via dial-up, ISDN, cable, DSL and T1/T3 lines.
(EXtensible Markup Language) An open standard for describing data from the W3C. It is used for defining data elements on a Web page and business-to-business documents.
Computer Hardware Terms
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Internet Terms
Text/Number Based Terms
Data Transfer and Management Terms
Miscellaneous Characters
Information Protection and Security
File Transferring, Networks, and their Devices
Web Page Languages and their Formats